Awkward Children
by sexypancake
Summary: Set 312313. Of all the elements you’ve learned, fire will be the easier to acquire, but the hardest to master. Aang nodded, and Zuko crouched low. Prepare Yourself.


**Awkward Children**

By sexypancake

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AU after Avatar 312. Season 3 Ep. 12.

Because I'm just going nuts waiting for for 313 to come out, I've written this little fic for you. I apologize to all of you who want me to continue 'Fathom', and I guarantee you it's not dead. I will finish it one day. Hopefully before season 3 ends and it ALL becomes AU.

Otherwise, enjoy. These are some scenes that I see could possibly happen in the canon future.

Oh, and please excuse the crappy quality. This thing hasn't been beta-ed very well.

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_dawn_

When Zuko opened his eyes, his first thought was that it had been a dream.

Then the cold night air seeped through his senses, causing a wicked chill to run down his back and his hands to go a little numb. To rectify this, he sat up and lit a small flame in the cup of his palms, its flickering warmth spreading minimal light in all directions. After all, he didn't want to alarm his new travel-companions.

Yes, he had finally done it. It wasn't a dream. Zuko had been accepted by the Avatar and his friends to teach the younger boy firebending. Or at least, if not accepted, tolerated and put up with until some decent progress in the monk's training appeared. When that happened, Zuko didn't have the slightest doubt that the younger teens would kick him out of their camp without remorse. He was _good_ now; they just couldn't seem to see that.

Sighing raggedly and wondering why he'd even come outside in the first place, much less let himself fall _asleep_ when he had a perfectly decent and somewhat warmer room deeper in the halls of the Western Air Temple, Zuko rubbed at his eyes with one hand, the other still holding the playfully glittering flame. Well, yes, he knew why he'd come out. He'd barely been with the group for more than two days and had already come to the decision that he just couldn't sleep in the same halls that the nomadic air monks once had, that is, until his people eliminated them.

Zuko felt a slow, sickening lurch in his stomach and he hunched over slightly in disgust. Why? _Why?!_ Just why had the firenation been so blind? Why had _he_ been so blind? No. . . the lords of his country hadn't been blind, they'd simply been malicious and insane. His people were merely misinformed and oblivious to the truth. And he. . .

He could barely comprehend how he'd let things come this far. At one time, he'd have happily joined the Avatar without a second thought if it meant saving the lives of firenation soldiers and people from other countries. After all, people were people. But then. . . then his father had burned him. Shamed him. Impregnated him with anger and hurt and the desire to reach his goals at all costs. Even death.

A sound to his left suddenly echoed loudly in the quiet night and Zuko jerked violently, startled, and barely reigned in his firebending from attacking the intruder. It was a good thing he did, too, when the Avatar's flying lemur unexpectedly leapt out at him and slammed into the side of his head. Zuko gave an ungraceful, though thankfully not too loud, cry of alarm and fell back onto his side. The lemur sat on his chest contently, licking the fur on its arms, then reached out and pat Zuko twice on the cheek before leaping into the air again.

Zuko stared off at the bizarre little creature, stunned, before throwing his head back and letting out a half-relieved, half-exhausted laugh. He was certainly going mad. And if he didn't get some decent sleep soon, he would not only be a danger to himself and his young pupil the next day at practice, but to any others in the group who decided to watch. He still couldn't quite persuade them to give the two of them enough distance, trust issues and all that, but he also certainly didn't need to give them a reason to worry further.

Getting to his feet, Zuko wandered over to the large pit they'd used for a bonfire earlier than night and effortlessly lit some dry wood so that he wouldn't freeze when he fell back asleep. And without another thought, or too many as it were, he laid down next to the fire and closed his eyes.

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_Noon_

"Stop it! You're being too rough on him!" Katara screamed, her face an angry red color from yelling at Zuko and interrupting Aang's firebending lessons, yet again. She marched right up to him, putting herself directly between the two boys and stuck her hands on her hips. The prince made a loud, exasperated sound of irritation.

"If I don't push him, he won't learn!" He yelled back, his hands tightening into fists. He got in her face and said through clenched teeth. "I'm not purposely trying to hurt him, but if he can't _properly_ defend himself with what I've taught him so far then that's just a sign that we need to keep working on it. _Do not interfere_."

"You're obviously not teaching _properly_ if you can't prevent from harming your own student!" She seethed. "You're going to burn him!"

"We're using fire!" Zuko yelled, fed up. He didn't care at this point if he ever won this annoying girl's friendship. Sure, it would have been nice in the long run as he was now a part of their group, but her intense bias against him was really working to all of their disadvantage. He took a few deep, shaky breaths then said in a calmer voice. "Listen, why don't you watch from farther away, out of range so that you don't get hurt, and I'll try to be a little bit more in control myself." Of course he wasn't going to be any easier on Aang. But if he could just get this squawking girl out of his hair for just five minutes. . . "And if I'm horribly careless enough to burn him, you can use you're expert waterbending to heal him. I insist. I wouldn't have it any other way." He decided to lay it on a little thick, just in case.

Katara stared at him hard for a few seconds before nodding once, looking determined and ready to kick his butt if he so much as put a toe out of line. Zuko internally breathed a giant sigh of relief when she finally turned away and walked back towards the white stone bench she'd been watching from earlier before she'd interrupted them.

He tilted his head in Aang's direction and saw that the Avatar was too watching the girl walk away. Zuko groaned, this time out loud, and cleared his throat to get the younger male's attention. He really didn't need to be in the middle of this kind of drama right now. Aang returned his attention to Zuko and got into position, bending his knees and spreading his arms out to the side. Zuko took in a deep breath and released it slowly.

"She has good intentions, I know," Zuko said quietly, and Aang's face twitched a little. "But I won't go easy on you. Of all the elements you've learned, fire will be the easiest to acquire, but the hardest to master." Aang nodded, and Zuko crouched low.

"Prepare yourself."

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_Midnight_

"Hello." Zuko said quietly in the dark, and Aang's head shot up startled. His head whipped around frantically as he tried to locate the source of Zuko's voice, then stilled when he realized that the older boy wasn't anywhere near him. Peering out over a white marble bench, Aang watched suspiciously as his eyes finally adjusted to the moonlit darkness and saw Zuko standing not one-hundred feet away. His body jerked in shock when he realized that Zuko was talking to Appa.

'_No!'_ Aang's mind shouted. _'Don't you dare! Not again. I won't let him be hurt again!'_ He zipped silently from the spot where he'd been watching over their quiet camp to crouch behind a fallen column barely fifteen feet away from Zuko and the giant white bison. Aang held his breath, watching for any wayward movements towards his best friend, when he realized that Zuko was talking again, even quieter this time.

"I know I shouldn't be out here, seeing you, but I couldn't sleep." Aang could see Zuko's face cringe in the minimal moonlight. "The Avatar. . . .no. . . Aang," Zuko paused and ran a hand over his face, "Aang probably wouldn't like it if he saw me around you."

Well that was true. Despite being a rotten fire nation prince, Aang had to admit he wasn't stupid. Well, at least not _that_ stupid. Setting an assassin like Combustion-man on them and then _admitting_ to it, that took the number one slot on Aang's list. Moving on. . .

"I'm glad you're alright." Zuko murmured, soundly sincere as he lightly pat Appa's large head. Aang twitched. What was he up to. . . ?

A low, gruff sound rumbled through the quiet night as Appa gave Zuko's outstretched hand a wet lick, then proceeded the knock the boy down onto his rear and lick his face enthusiastically. Zuko sounded like he was caught between laughing and vehemently protesting, but for the sake of not being too loud and risk waking the others up, he merely chuckled amusedly, a strange, odd looking smile on his face that Aang had never seen before. It was as if this bizarre, peculiar person in front of him was the actual teenager he was supposed to be for his age, not the scowling, angry prince hardened by cruel fate that Aang had first met.

"I feel like you're the only one who isn't judging me." Zuko's voice grew even softer when he whispered these words. Aang wasn't sure, but it almost sounded like his voice cracked a little. Zuko crawled over to Appa's side and leaned against his massive furry body. To Aang's great shock and horror, the large bison actually shifted to allow the shivering teen a more comfortable position against his soft coat. Zuko's body trembled a little, and Aang wanted to march over there and demand that the older boy take his stupid spoiled hands off Appa right that second, but didn't get the chance to as a few seconds later Zuko abruptly sat up and pulled away from the warm beast. He got to his feet, taking a few steps away from Appa.

"No no no no no no. . ." He was chanting this aloud, smacking himself lightly in the forehead with the back of his hand. He stared at Appa, clearly upset. "I'm so sorry. But you see, you're the only one who's being nice to me. I mean- besides the earthbending girl, she's been sorta nice, but you-" He broke off with a sharp intake of breath, then said more solemnly. "I cannot get attached. I won't." He took a step towards Appa as if to touch him one last time, but caught himself before he managed to, and, jerkily, ran off across the temple and out of Aang's sight.

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_Morning_

"He's doing it again." Sokka muttered, annoyed. His voice echoed a little among the white stone columns of the temple as he, Aang, and Katara watched Zuko pace back and forth some five-hundred feet away. He'd been pacing off and on throughout the morning, either collecting his thoughts or simply going mad, the young group didn't know. Sokka huffed again and Katara voiced her agreement. Aang stared at Zuko silently, contemplating, and Toph merely rolled her eyes at her companion's childishness. Honestly, although she was the youngest member of their rag-tag group, she often times found herself to be the soundest voice of reason concerning her friend's hard-lived prejudices and beliefs.

Groaning quietly, Toph got to her feet, the tender burnt skin on the bottom of her feet was already healing remarkably well thanks to Katara's healing bending. The cool vibrations from the stone beneath her bare toes felt like soothing honey over her entire body, and she nodded determinedly at how quickly she'd soon be able to properly resume her bending. The few times that she'd been totally and actually blind on their journey had been some of the most terrifying episodes of her life, due to the fact that almost each of those times her life was in danger. Words could barely describe how happy she was to be able to 'see' again.

"Chill out you sissies." She sigh, greatly annoyed. Stepping idly, Toph left her three companions gaping behind her as she gingerly made her way towards the pacing prince.

"Hey, crybaby!" She yelled. Zuko's head whipped around in alarm and stared at her for about half a second before he took an unconscious step back. Toph frowned. Everything concerning Zuko had gotten off to a bad start, and it looked like she was the only one willing and able to attempt to make a difference.

"Listen, things between all of us aren't going to get better if we act like a bunch of spoiled children!"

Zuko started, "But we are-"

"Quiet!" Toph demanded, and Zuko quickly shut up, looking quite startled and unsure at being told off by a little girl at least two feet shorter than he. "Right." She nodded.

Zuko stared at her, not just a little bit awe-struck (at what exactly, he wasn't sure), before smiling and holding out his hand. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Zuko."

Toph grinned cheekily at him and thrust out a much smaller, but equally calloused hand. "Right back at ya! I'm Toph."

She turned her face pointedly in the direction of her companions. "The first step to solving a problem is admitting the existence of one, and then _actually_ trying to do something about it." She stressed her point and raised her nose at Katara in particular, unimpressed with the way the older girl had been handling the situation with Zuko over the past few days. Granted, she didn't have the same past as the two of them, but if now wasn't a time to start over and make amends, she didn't know when another opportunity would arise.

The other girl merely 'hmphed' in reply and walked away. Toph sighed drearily and shook her head. She turned back to Zuko and smiled awkwardly. "She'll come around, eventually."

Zuko let out a nervous chuckle. "I hope." It was all he could do.

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_Evening_

Sokka grunted as he slid off Appa's back and hefted his bag over his shoulder. Zuko slid down after him. He'd finally gotten to ride the giant bison for the first time that day and was still reeling a little in amazement. He had a brilliant smile on his face that irked Sokka.

"Yah, yah. The 'ooh' and 'ahh' feeling wears off really quickly. Don't get too excited over it." He grumbled. Zuko looked like he might have wanted to say something in reply, but couldn't be put off his good mood to humor Sokka's irritation. That bothered the dark-skinned boy even more. He dropped his pack on the ground and leaned against Appa's side tiredly. He and Zuko had gone out this morning to scout the area a bit while the others checked out the nearby forest. Considering the disaster that the last invasion had been, he knew they couldn't be too careful incase someone was looking for them. Or more specifically, Aang.

Zuko leaned back against Appa too and stretched his arms above his head, groaning happily. He pat Appa with his outstretched hand.

"I was very happy to ride you today. You're a magnificent flyer." Appa growled a little, preening the attention. Sokka rolled his eyes in disgust.

"Let's not forget who actually _allowed_ you to ride Appa. Eh? You should feel lucky we even let you within a ten foot radius of him, much less touch him!" Sokka bit out. Zuko stared at him, a little stunned by the sudden sting, but didn't immediately comment. Instead, he stroked Appa's furry white side.

"You're right."

Sokka blinked and turned to look at the scarred prince. Zuko glanced at him from the corner of his eye and quirked his lip. "I owe you and your friends a lot. Everything, in fact." He looked up at the sky and Sokka followed his gaze. A large winged bird was floating softly along the breeze.

"Like a prisoner,

The lone prince wanders ever more,

Looking for his home."

Sokka's head snapped to Zuko at the quietly whispered poem. A haiku. His gaze softened unconsciously.

"Tired warrior,

Misses his frozen home so,

He travels the world."

Zuko didn't look at him, but smiled at Sokka's reply. The bird in the sky cried out for a land long gone.

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Hope you enjoyed.

Please read and review!!

sexypancake


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